Inventory of the Robert Swain Gifford Papers In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research LibraryProcessed by: Barbara E. Austen; machine-readable finding aid created by: Mark ProcknikFunds for processing this collection were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.Inventory of the Robert Swain Gifford Papers In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Robert Swain Gifford (1840-1905) was born on the island of Naushon, Massachusetts, and later resided in Fairhaven and New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he showed an early talent for sketching. After tutelage under Alber van Beest, a maritime painter, Gifford left for Boston in 1864 to establish a studio, then moved on to New York in 1865 where he quickly made a name for himself in artistic circles. The years 1869, 1870, and 1874 were spent travelling, first to California to gather material for illustrating an article, then to Europe and Africa. Gifford's talent and reputation as an artist led to his membership in associations such as the American Art Association, the National Academy of Art, the Tile Club, the New York Etching Club, and the Royal Society of Painters-Etchers. He exhibited and won awards at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, 1876, and the International Exposition in Paris, 1889. He also served on selection and judging committees at such events as the World's Columbian Exposition, 1893, and the St. Louis World's Fair, 1904. In 1899, he served as an artist with the Harriman Expedition to Alaska.

This collection consists primarily of the correspondence, writings, legal documents, and biographical material of Robert Swain Gifford dating from 1722-1968. Of particular note in his incoming correspondence, 1859-1905, are letters from contemporary American artists and writers, including Winslow Homer, William LeBaron Jenny, John LaFarge, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry Huttleston Rogers, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and Elihu Vedder. In addition, the correspondence includes numerous letters from Samuel Colman, a landscape painter and president of the American Society of Painters in Watercolor; Samuel Putnam Avery, the founder of the Metropolitan Museum; and Abram Stevens Hewitt of Cooper, Hewitt & Co., founders of the Cooper Union Art School in New York City. Also of interest are Gifford's letters to Mrs. Lydia Swain in the 1860s and 1870s which illustrate his growth as an artist and his acceptance in artistic circles, and a series of letters to Frances Eliot during his journey to Europe and Africa in 1870, some of which contain colored sketches. Among his other papers are diaries from his trip west in 1869 and from the Harriman Expedition in 1899; travel and technical notes, 1874-ca. 1875; essays and poems, 1875-1884; a "College Notebook," ca. 1895; articles in Scribner's, Harper's and Christian Weekly magazines containing illustrations by Gifford, 1871-1887; architectural plans and specifications for his house, Moorlands, ca. 1885; legal documents, 1722-1906; articles and clippings about his work and exhibitions, 1869-1965; lists of paintings, ca. 1880-ca. 1906; exhibit catalogs, 1873-ca. 1906; notes, autographs, and other miscellany, ca. 1850-1909; bills and receipts, 1879-1903; and biographical material including Reminiscences of R. Swain Gifford... by Leroy Yale, 1905-1964. In addition, Gifford's papers contain correspondence, notes, and other writings generated or received by Philip Dechert, husband of Gifford's grand-daughter, Anne Ross, while he was conducting research concerning the artist's life and work.

Materials in the Gifford Papers have been organized into sub-groups representing personal papers of family members. These sub-groups are listed in the inventory in chronological order by the birthdate of each person. Whenever possible, incoming correspondence has been divided by year, then alphabetically arranged within each year by name of writer. Other papers, organized into series by type of document, are arranged in chronological order.

Also among the holdings of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society are numerous watercolors, oils, and etchings by R. Swain Gifford, as well as a number of family photographs.

A list of Gifford sketchbooks in the Society's museum collection is appended to this inventory.

Access to the Collection

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The bulk of materials in this collection were given to the Old Dartmouth Historical Society by Mrs. Philip Dechert between 1973-1981. Some items in Sub-group 1, Series A, Sub-series 2, Folder 36 were donated to the Museum by Robert Ross in 2015 as part of Accession 2015.5.